


Beginnings

by InkuisitivSkins



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Backstory, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Slight Action
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 05:39:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11052474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkuisitivSkins/pseuds/InkuisitivSkins
Summary: After Numbani was attacked and all of the city's guardian robots were destroyed and decommissioned, the young Efi Oladele knew their potential had been wasted. As a result, she reconstructed one of the OR-15s into a singular unit, fully upgraded with an independent personality and heart. Efi knows this new omnic will be what her city needs, but she first needs to learn her directive and how to effectively fulfill it in this wide, new world.





	Beginnings

"Please work..."

A spark flickered.

"You shut down before you were even able to speak to me last time."

The whirring of a motor.

Efi turned one final screw and stepped back. Even if she didn't work, she sure looked impressive and imposing.

A robotic start-up sound echoed within the heavy steel frame.

"New personality module installed, system rebooting," a female voice, laced with the West African accent familiar to Efi, hummed from within the machine. Her torso lifted as she straightened, quadruped legs stiffening to hold up the movement on the body they held. She then lowered again to comfortably rest on the four legs, like a great beast heaving a sigh. Her steel eyelids flickered and opened, forming slits to reveal the glowing yellow lights from within her. "OR-15 online."

The young girl, half the machine's height, giggled happily at the sight and sound of her creation, finally coming to life. "No," she smiled brightly up at the horned monster. "That's no good! Every great hero needs a _real_ name. What about," she paused, shifting her weight to one leg as she tapped her chin. Her smile returned suddenly as the robot blinked down at her again.

"Orisa?"

"Searching database for 'Orisa'," Orisa began, though her journey was short-lived. "Error, zero entries found in database for 'Orisa'".

Efi smiled once again and began to circle her creation, checking sure all lights were on. "Of course not, silly. I decided to give you a unique name to match how unique you are! I named you after the Yoruba _orisha_ , since you'll be a guardian for our city."

"Our city," Orisa mirrored, gently turning her head to watch Efi move around her, testing out the motors in what would be her neck. "Utilizing satellite information to confirm-- Numbani, Nigeria."

"Close," Efi replied, tapping on one of the lights on one of her back legs. "We're near the Nigerian border, but not quite." The lights flickered to life and the eleven-year-old returned to her place in front of the omnic, Orisa's gaze meeting hers once again. "Could you do something for me, Orisa?" She piped up, "Could you search your database for 'Efi Oladale'?"

"Affirmative," the mechanical voice replied, taking a few more moments than her prior search. "Approximately one-hundred-thousand results acquired within approximately point fifty-four seconds. Efi Oladele, age eleven, occupation, inventor and robotics engineer. Awarded the Adawe Foundation's genius grant--"

"That's what I used to buy one of those old broken-down OR-15 models to rebuild into you," Efi beamed, throwing her small arms around Orisa's front legs. "Doomfist attacked our airport, and his gauntlet was stolen. Numbani had made a lot of the OR-15s to help defend us, but..." She trailed off, and Orisa's eyes twitched down to look at her. "Most of them, he destroyed. But I used my grant money and made you. I know that the OR-15 models had insane potential, but they just weren’t much of a match for him.”

Orisa silently searched her database for Doomfist, saving the data she found as she listened to her creator.

“I’ll tell you more later,” Efi spoke cheerily, backing off of her. “Take a few steps, I want to make sure you walk right.”

Orisa gave her a small nod and timidly took a step forward. Her front leg worked fine, so she tried the opposite back one, followed by the other front. When she moved the final back leg, it froze with a mechanical thump, gears grinding together fruitlessly. “Error,” Orisa began, the heart Efi had gifted her with lending itself to form a worried tone in the omnic’s voice. “Kinetic motor function in leg four failed to operate. Requesting assist-” she began, though her metal body began to tilt due to her uneven weight distribution. She rocked to the side, falling to the stone floor of Efi’s workshop with a pained grunt.

Efi gasped, worried that her guardian robot had already been destroyed. “Orisa!” She squeaked, hurriedly kneeling down to inspect her. “Are you alright?”

“Condition: Fine. Minor repairs optimal.”

The young girl sighed, a small relieved smile on her face. “I’ll get you up on all fours again in no time, Orisa.”

 

* * *

 

“Alright, Orisa,” Efi began, observing the lone robot in an empty field. “This is my testing zone, we’re going to make sure your combat protocols are all functional, okay?”

“Yes, Efi,” Orisa replied. She had very slowly been growing more comfortable with using the lingo of normal humans and omnics, rather than the spoken code that the OR-15 part of her had already been accustomed to. “What shall I begin with?”

“Fortify,” the girl replied, pressing a button on a remote control. “It can be activated through the flex of your left hand, you should be able to feel it switch on. I’m going to send several robot dummies to hurl themselves at you. You should notice yourself taking minimal damage and, most importantly, not being moved an inch due to the other robot’s forces.”

Several cobbled-together test omnics twitched to life in a shed nearly twenty feet away from Orisa. After a startup, one at a time they began to head for her in a flash of steel-- her burnished form reflecting theirs. She activated her fortify and her body was instantaneously covered in a rippling green wave. One robot hurtled into her with a sharp crash, though her four feet remained grounded as it hummed to a shutdown, in several pieces due to the impact, below her. Several others followed suit, until they were all spent and Orisa’s defense wore off. She turned her body to look up at Efi for her confirmation.

“Wonderful!” Efi cheered. “You did perfect!”

“Efi,” Orisa spoke, her inflection forming her creator’s name into a question. “If I am to be a defense-oriented robot, why did you give me the power to stay grounded?”

Efi blinked, suddenly looking rather sheepish. She had half hoped that Orisa would magically forget her question if she left it unanswered, though her hopes were shattered as Orisa politely repeated her name.  
“Well… the way that most of the other OR-15s were destroyed during the attack was by Doomfist’s gauntlet.”

Orisa recalled the newsflash she had discovered when searching her database for the infamous trio of villains. In the reporting on the Numbani attack, several models were shown in pieces on the torn-up ground, but the centerpiece of the image was one unit that was buried several feet into the airport wall-- the crater of its impact with the gauntlet so deep that the unit remained in place and did not fall.

Efi continued, her voice softer. “If you ever have to face him again, I’m going to make sure you’re more prepared than the others. I didn’t want to tell you and make you nervous.” She gave Orisa a small smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I equipped you so well that there’s not even a need for multiple units of you like there were with the OR-15s. One Orisa is enough. I gave you your fortify, your fusion driver gun, a protective barrier to shield you from projectiles, your halt ability to help you manipulate your enemies’ movement..”

“Query,” Orisa piped up, ever-polite. “What is my supercharger designed for? I noticed it is the shape of a drum, yet upon analysis of the blueprints you showed me, it seems as if it is meant to be utilized for the damage boost to multiple organisms, not just myself.”

“I’m glad you asked!” The girl said, walking over to the omnic as she began picking up pieces of the broken test robots. “In one month, I’m going to see if I can get you into Overwatch.”

“Overwatch,” Orisa repeated.

“They’re a group of heroes,” Efi smiled brightly. “And you’re the best hero of them all.”

Orisa began her database search for the organization, “Thank you, Efi.”

 

* * *

 

Aside from combat protocols, Efi had been coaching Orisa on her more defensive duties. If she was to serve as a guardian for Numbani, she would have to learn how to practice assistance even more so than offense. These drills included menial duties such as helping a cat down from a tree (which Orisa did by shooting a large hole through the tree, toppling it over and somehow managing to catch the falling cat), delivering mail, and even helping the police place a few parking tickets. Efi knew she had much to learn, and that Orisa would eventually have to realize that assisting others was not just black and white. She had given her a personality and a heart for this very distinct reason, and it was what separated her from the OR-15-- the ability to understand, relate, and empathize.

The two were out one day while Efi was purchasing some new screws and light fixtures to restock her workshop, when she noticed that Orisa was not behind her as she usually was. Nervously, afraid that she had perhaps broken down somewhere, Efi began to search for her-- though it didn’t last long, when a loud crash caught her attention. The young girl sped around the corner to witness the event.

Orisa had one hand on the hood of a car, her grip on it so strong that her fingers dented and broke through the steel. The impact that it had reached her hand with caused the car to be fully lifted off the ground. Her other hand was on the back of an old woman, who with tiny and meek footsteps, had been making her way across the crosswalk-- though she wasn’t nearly close enough to the oncoming car to have been in any danger. “Orisa!” Efi cried out, hurrying to the scene where people began to gather.

“Efi!” Orisa said upon the sight of her master, her tone proud. “I helped an old woman cross the street!”

“ _No, Orisa_!” Efi whined as she made her way over, Orisa returning to the other side of the sidewalk to meet her. “That woman looked like she was still on the sidewalk by the time you were out in the street!”

“But, I used fortify, just as you had programmed,” Orisa replied, her tone still hopeful, yet confused. “Did I not follow my protocol correctly?”

“Not this time,” Efi sighed as she made her way over to the omnic who had gotten out of his car to look at the damage. Orisa turned to watch them, crestfallen as she heard the apologetic and worried voice of the young girl. She watched silently, not paying attention to what the conversation was as she frantically searched her internal database for any advice.

Efi made her way back to her after she got the omnic man’s information to later repay him for the damage. She did not look at Efi as she walked past her.

“I’m sorry, Efi,” Orisa spoke, her voice soft and remorseful. “I will do a better job next time I am faced with such a scenario. I did not know--”

“It’s fine, Orisa,” Efi replied. Despite her tone lacking the sharpness of a retort, Orisa still felt lost at her words. She could tell this was the end of their conversation.

Never before had Orisa experienced regret. Such is the pain that often accompanies life.

 

* * *

 

After the crosswalk ordeal, Orisa and Efi’s relationship had improved to the level it had been prior, though Orisa now found herself reluctant to use her abilities. Efi often told her how she had built the omnic to be the brave hero that Numbani needed, though Orisa would quietly reply with something along the lines of her being the hero that Numbani never asked for. It struck Efi like a truck, so she had recently been attempting to boost Orisa’s confidence. She continued to advise her on how to more gently save animals from sticky situations, and how to safely help old women across the street. Deep in her mechanical core, however, Orisa worried. She hesitated crossing the streets by herself, as if anything could damage a six-and-a-half-foot-tall, quadruped robot. Her ultimate fear was to hurt someone who didn’t deserve it; to break her protocol to the point of no return. She was meant to defend.

They had been out walking once again, people giving them a wide girth, afraid to be caught in the accidental wrath of the “reformed” OR-15. Efi remained optimistic, choosing to ignore them. She knew her creation meant nothing but good.

“Hey, Orisa, you should pick up that trash on the sidewalk. It’ll show people how environmentally-friendly you are,” she smiled, carrying her bag of supplies.

Orisa simply nodded as she set her sights on the litter as they crossed the street. She quickened her pace so she could get to the litter quicker and not cause Efi to wait on her as she took it to the trash can. Efi continued across the street by herself, only pausing when she felt her wrench slip out of her utility belt. She heard it clank on the concrete below her and she stopped to look back down on it. Normally, it wouldn’t be an issue-- but this was her favorite wrench. It was the one from the original robotics kit her Mom and Dad had gotten her years ago. She knelt to pick it up.

It all happened in an instant. Orisa bent to pick up the trash, not noticing the police sirens that quickly grew louder. Car tires screeched on the street and people nearby began running, several screaming. Orisa’s gaze snapped up to the street, where a police car was giving chase to a black truck. Several human arms stuck outside the windows, pistols in hand, shooting back at the car in pursuit behind them. Immediately, gears kicked into overdrive as the omnic’s yellow eyes immediately fell upon Efi, who was still in the street, now frozen in fear like a literal deer in headlights. She was still crouched from retrieving her wrench, and all she could do was cover her head in her arms and scream for her guardian.

For her slow movement speed, the omnic was there in a flash. She planted her four feet around the cowering Numbani girl as she stood over her, held out both arms, and braced herself as green waves flooded her vision.

“Orisa--” Efi cried, not even realizing she was already above her.

“ ** _I’m not moving._** ”  

It was the loudest sound Orisa had ever heard. The truck had been moving so fast, the force of it against her hands first accordioned the hood of the vehicle nearly to the windshield, then sent the entire truck over her. It flipped several times before landing upright almost ten feet behind her. The airbags had obviously gone off, so it took the offending party a moment to get out of their totaled car. Instantly, they opened fire on Orisa and the police car that had skid to a halt in front of her. In a second, the large omnic was turned around. A barrage ofl bullets ricocheted off her steel form, but she was able to put down a shield before any got to Efi or the police who were also exiting their vehicle. Seeing that they couldn’t efficiently fight back any longer, the gunmen began to flee. Orisa lifted her arm and shot a graviton charge, detonating it not far from her. The four men faltered for a moment, confused as to why their legs suddenly could not move. Abruptly, they all were caught in the charge and forcefully jerked back to the spot where it had been detonated.  The police were soon on them; the gunmen’s hands in the air.

Orisa stepped away from Efi so she was no longer above her. The girl, shaking violently, finally opened her eyes and looked around, dumbfounded. The first thing she noticed were the numerous spent bullets that littered the ground nearby, and the four deep holes that had torn up the concrete around her from Orisa’s feet. She then noticed the silhouette above her and turned to see her omnic. There were several bullet holes in her chest, many smoking slightly, and the eyelids on one of her eyes had been shattered off of her; the yellow glow of her eye beneath no longer lit.

“Orisa,” Efi hiccupped, instantly overtaken by tears. She stood, wobbled for a moment, and hugged the cold steel of her omnic. “Thank you, Orisa.”

“Your safety is my primary concern,” Orisa replied, her voice slowing and deepening as her vision began to darken.

 

* * *

 

“Systems restored,” she chimed as she blinked awake, back in Efi’s workshop. The young girl was standing and smiling up at her, hands on her hips, just like the day Orisa had awakened.

“Feeling better?” the girl asked, earning a nod from Orisa. “I never had a chance to thank you before you shut down.”

“I am sorry,” Orisa replied, her original formality returning.

Efi chuckled, “Silly omnic, why are you apologizing? I would have died.”

“I.. Destroyed another vehicle. I disobeyed my directive once again.”

“You’re kidding,” Efi smiled. “That was the most I’ve ever seen you practice protocol, Orisa. You were perfect and amazing.”

“Thank you, Efi,” Orisa replied, pleased. “It is my duty to ensure your safety.”

“I’m so glad I have a friend like you,” Efi continued, affectionately knocking on Orisa’s chest. A slightly hollow noise resonated back; the damage from the attack erased with the help of new steel plating.

“Friend,” Orisa questioned.

“Don’t tell me you have to search your database for that!”

“Negative,” Orisa assured. “You consider me a friend, Efi?”

“Of course I do!”

The robot was silent for a moment. “What do you feel when you are loved by someone, Efi?”

“Well,” Efi began, rearranging some of her tools on the wall. “You can feel several different things. You can feel all warm inside, and protected, and safe. If you’re a friend with someone, you want to make sure they’re as happy as possible, and you want to spend time with them and make them feel good.”

 

Orisa ran a few silent diagnostics.

“You are my friend, Efi.”

The Numbani girl smiled to herself.

“I love you too, Orisa.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very new to the fandom, but I had known about all of the characters before actually getting and playing the game. When Orisa was announced, I was really excited-- tanks have always been my favorite class to play in almost everything. When I actually learned her personality and backstory (not to mention her character design), I fell in love :)  
> Please feel free to comment and/or leave a kudos!


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